How to Verify a Lymphatic Drainage Therapist in Texas
Two separate checks tell you most of what you need: a current state license, which anyone can look up, and lymphatic training, which a license does not show. Both take a few minutes with free public lookups. These are the same sources we use for every listing.
Step 1: Get their full name and license number
Ask for both, or look on their website. Texas massage therapist license numbers in TDLR's records start with MT followed by digits, such as MT132349.
Search by number when you can. A license is filed under the holder's legal name, which can differ from the name they practice under.
Step 2: Look up the license at TDLR
Open TDLR's license search. Choose Massage Therapist as the license type and search by name, or search by license number. The search shows active licenses only.
- Check that the name matches the person who will treat you, not only the business owner.
- Note the expiration date.
- A spa or studio can also hold a Massage Therapy Establishment license. That covers the location, not the person.
TDLR's massage therapy program page explains the license types.
Step 3: If they are a physical or occupational therapist
Texas PT and OT licenses come from a different agency, the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE). Its verification page links to the state's license verification website, which also shows any board disciplinary action.
Step 4: Check their lymphatic training in a registry
A certificate on a website is the practitioner's own claim. A registry or school directory entry is the school's confirmation. On our listings, the first is marked self-reported and the second confirmed by registry.
LE&RN's guide to finding a qualified lymphedema therapist recommends a CLT-LANA credentialed therapist, or one who has completed at least 135 hours of training.
What the letters after their name mean
The credentials we see most on Texas lymphatic drainage practitioners' sites, and where to check each.
| Letters | What it means | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| LMT, MT | Licensed massage therapist. | TDLR license search, type Massage Therapist |
| CLT | Certified lymphedema therapist: completed a lymphedema training course. LE&RN looks for at least 135 hours of training. | The directory of the school that trained them (table below). |
| CLT-LANA | Holds the Lymphology Association of North America credential: passed an accredited exam after at least 135 hours of training. | CLT-LANA registry |
| MLD, CMLDT, MLD-C | A manual lymphatic drainage certificate. Ask which school issued it. | That school’s directory (table below). |
| PT, DPT | Physical therapist. | ECPTOTE license verification |
| OT, OTR/L | Occupational therapist. | ECPTOTE license verification |
| LE | Licensed esthetician. We list estheticians only for facial lymphatic work. | TDLR license search, type Esthetician |
Registries and school directories
| Registry | What an entry tells you | How to search |
|---|---|---|
| CLT-LANA (Lymphology Association of North America) | The therapist holds the CLT-LANA credential: according to LE&RN, they passed an accredited exam after at least 135 hours of training. | Pick a state. The link opens the Texas list. |
| ACOLS (Academy of Lymphatic Studies) | The therapist trained with ACOLS. The Texas entries we checked show the certification and the date it was completed. | Search by state, ZIP code or profession. |
| Dr. Vodder School International | The therapist trained with the Dr. Vodder School, listed by category, such as Lymphedema Therapist or Applied MLD Therapist. | Browse by country, then state or region. |
| Klose Training | The therapist completed a Klose Training course. | Search in a browser. We could not check it in bulk, so Klose credentials in our listings show as self-reported. |
| Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy | The therapist trained with the Norton School. | No public search. Send the form with your ZIP code and the school emails you a list. |
| LE&RN therapist guide | Not a registry. A guide to what to look for in a lymphedema therapist, with links to the school directories. | Read it before you choose. |
Looking for a lymphedema therapist we already matched to a registry? Start with the CLT finder.